In speaking at FullyCharged.SHOW & Everything Electric this past Friday, I realised how we are only at the beginning of our societal transition to electric vehicles (EVs). While I may live in the world of EVs every day, many are just becoming familiar with the topic. As such, here are some key discussion points our panel covered during our Home Charging Made Simple session.
- Home charging is where it is at - imagine leaving your driveway every day fully fuelled. When you charge at home, you save. Especially when you're on the right energy tariff. I drove from London to Bristol and it cost me less than a cup of coffee in energy.
- 3-pin chargers are for emergencies only - while they can be helpful in a pinch, they are not designed for regular long charging sessions, especially from the same outlet.
- Getting a home charger? Start early - if you’re considering an EV, begin the process of getting your home charger early. Unforeseen delays can happen, so don’t wait until the last minute.
- Cross-pavement solutions - those without a driveway may still be able to get a home charger using a cross-pavement solution, like Kerbo Charge. The UK government has just introduced a grant to support this. However, you'll need to check with your local council to see if they have an approved solution.
- Dynamic energy tariffs - you may have heard of time-of-use tariffs, where you get a cheaper rate overnight. Dynamic smart tariffs, by comparison, allow you to charge when renewable energy is abundant, saving you money and benefiting the planet. These tariffs are also incredibly kind to the wallet.
- Find the right charger for you - A charger is much more than a home appliance, it is something that enables you to travel to work, school, and beyond. You want to ensure that it is easy to use and that should you ever need support, it is easy to get. Beyond this, you want to ensure that is on the front foot when it comes to technology. This will ensure that you don't miss out on things that can benefit you, like dynamic tariffs. Of course, I am incredibly biased and always point my friends to Ohme.
- Complex installations happen - if your parking space is some distance away from your home, chances are you may require some additional work to get your charger installed. If you're having trouble finding someone who will undertake the work, our team at Ohme can help.
- Charging away from home - while we'll surely see more and more charging "stations", we'll also start to see charging in locations you may not expect. From the gym to supermarkets, to your local pub, you'll see more destination charging options available as you go about your day-to-day life.
That covers most of what we covered on our panel. It was a pleasure speaking alongside Nicolas Raimo, Elliot Richards & Yvonne Yang, PhD. I'd also like to give a special shout-out to our host-with-the-most Jack Scarlett.
Manufacturing ERP Consultant.
11 个月All good stuff; something to clarif is that unlike old school “economy 7” tarriffs, the modern EV friendly ones 1) dont necessarily cost more in the day and 2) many laundry room appliances already have inbuilt “delay timers” allowing them to be run at lower cost too. As it happens I am a long term Ohme charger owner and it has proven very reliable (and flexible, you could “down-rate” it for me until my garden electrics were improved)